Andrew Heinzman
City-dwellers are gentle creatures that need to be protected from all outside sensations. At least, that’s the reasoning behind Dyson’s new noise-canceling, air-purifying headphones. The Dyson Zone is one of the weirdest wearables we’ve ever seen—weirder than Razer’s RGB face mask, even.
Update, 12/8/22: To our surprise, Dyson plans to launch its Zone air-purifying headphones in March of 2023. They cost a whopping $949. So, we’ve updated this article with some new details from Dyson.
Let’s clarify something up front; the Dyson Zone is not a response to the pandemic. Dyson began working on these air-purifying headphones five years ago and filed its first personal filtration patents in 2016.
At its core, the Zone is just a pair of headphones that snaps to a Dyson-grade personal air purifier. It leaves an air gap that won’t offer complete protection from aerosolized viruses or bacteria. And if you cough or sneeze, the Zone’s built-in fans could shoot your nasty mouth moisture all over the place. (Users can wear a surgical mask under the Zone, and it comes with attachments that meet FFP2 filtration standards.)
Dyson claims that the Zone is perfect for commuters and city-dwellers who are inundated by nasty noise and air every time they leave their home. It creates a “personal bubble” around your head, protecting you from air pollution and unwanted noise. (And yeah, this thing supports ANC. But can ANC drown out the sound of fan that’s right next to your head?)
Battery life for the headphones caps out at 50 hours, which is pretty nice. But that number falls to four hours when you use the air purifier on its “low” setting. If you crank it up to “high,” you’ll get about an hour and a half of battery.
I should also mention that the Zone looks ridiculous. Maybe that’s the necessary trade-off for clean air and pleasant sound. But it’s still an odd idea, given that N95 masks (which don’t require a charge) can already filter dust, VOCs, aerosolized particles, and other nastiness.
And no, the Zone is not an elaborate April Fool’s joke. The company previewed its Zone headphones in-person with journalists, who confirm that it’s real and functional.
One of the weirdest parts of this story is the Dyson Zone companion app. Not because it’s weird, but because it sounds pretty practical. The Dyson Zone app alerts users to outdoor air quality, which may influence their decision to wear the Zone or other facial coverings.
Pre-orders for the Dyson Zone open “by appointment only” in March of 2023. The air-purifying headphones cost $950. After its official launch, Dyson will sell the Zone in-store and at its website.
